LTTE urges IC to act in the international way

[TamilNet, Sunday, 10 May 2009, 07:55 GMT]"More than 2,000 innocent civilians have been killed in the last 24 hours. The wholesale bombardment by Sri Lankan planes and shelling on a densely populated, non combatant civilian safe zone is state terrorism and a war crime," said S. Pathmanathan, the LTTE head of international relations on Sunday. "The Tamil people are dismayed that the United Nations and the International Community have failed in their obligations to protect the endangered civilians. [...] We only ask for an impartial relief effort similar to those extended to other international conflict zones by the UN and the international community in the recent past," he further said.

Full text of the statement of Mr. Selvarasa Pathmanathan follows:

Sri Lanka's "state terrorism" in Vanni

10 May 2009

At this very moment (Sunday, May 10 2009), the Sri Lankan Government has unleashed its ferocious military aggression against the hapless Tamil civilians living in the so-called "Safe Zone" in Vanni, Sri Lanka. More than 2,000 innocent civilians have been killed in the last 24 hours. The wholesale bombardment by Sri Lankan planes and shelling on a densely populated, non combatant civilian safe zone is state terrorism and a war crime.

S. Pathmanathan, Head of LTTE's International Diplomatic Relations

The international community and UN have an obligation to protect the Tamil people facing genocidal aggression directed in a manner against all international humanitarian laws. It is clear that the Sri Lankan Government has prevented all aid agencies and humanitarian organisations from visiting the conflict zone. The Tamil people are dismayed that the United Nations and the International Community have failed in their obligations to protect the endangered civilians. Every passing day is resulting in the loss of countless number of civilian lives and alienation of the entire Tamil community.

We would like to point out that starvation of civilians, as a method of warfare, constitutes an act of genocide (as defined by Article II(c) of the 1948 Genocide Convention) and a war crime. We urge the UN and the International Community to prevail upon the Sri Lankan Government without any further delay to stop using food and medicine as weapons in this war. A shortage in drinking water, food supply, medicines, shelter materials and fuel weigh heavily upon an already beleaguered people.

Throughout the entire existence of our liberation struggle, we have always extended our most courteous cooperation to the humanitarian relief organisations that have sought to provide relief for our people. Even in this extreme circumstances and escalated conflict we guarantee safe passage and no threat to any humanitarian relief effort that the UN and related agencies may undertake in the conflict zone.

We urge the world to seek similar assurances from the Government of Sri Lanka and immediately put in place relief efforts to provide food and much needed medical relief to the Tamil people enduring untold hardship in the conflict zone and the IDP camps. We only ask for an impartial relief effort similar to those extended to other international conflict zones by the UN and the international community in the recent past.